Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

My avocado plant is unhappy

TriciaBTriciaB Posts: 37
in Plants
I have grown an avocado plant from a stone and it was doing very well on a windowsill until it was about 50 cm tall. At that point the bottom leaves started to dry up at the tips and although it’s still producing lovely green leaves at the top from the bottom up the leaves are continuing to wither. I have moved it to the greenhouse now the weather is warmer. Can I do anything to grow it on in a healthier state?

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    It wants to be a tree. A big tree. You are going to need a bigger greenhouse. Something like the palm house at Kew.
  • zugeniezugenie Posts: 831
    Does it need repotting? Mine does the same but it’s because I underwater it and I suspect it needs a bigger pot now
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    As @fidgetbones says - it wants to be a tree but sadly is not something which you can grow to maturity in the UK climate.
    It will need constantly potting on - check whether roots are emerging from the base of the pot.
    They are easy to germinate - toss a stone into your compost heap and it will often sprout.  It can be a nice houseplant for a while but that's about it really. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I used to give them a moist atmosphere, light shade, and a steady temperature in the mid teens celsius. 

    When they get to about 15” tall I reduced their height by half so that they bush out and form a more attractive shape than just growing upwards.

    I can’t remember what compost I used … probably a mixture of MPC and some loam. 

    I also tried to only use rainwater at room temperature to water and must with. 

    It’s years since I’ve grown them, but they used to do okay with that sort of treatment. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • TriciaBTriciaB Posts: 37
    Thank you all for your comments and advice. Fidgetbones made me smile! I hadn't thought of it needing repotting, but you are right zugenie and philippasmith2. I can see roots through the bottom of the pot, so repotting is needed I think. Dovefromabove mine is now too tall to reduce the height as the bottom leaves are shrivelling, but I will plant another stone and next time take your advice. It certainly does make a very nice houseplant.
  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,719
    edited April 2022
    ooops.sorry
    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
Sign In or Register to comment.